But he says he's 'proud' of the superhero blockbuster in spite of its flaws

Joss Whedon has admitted that he does not consider The Avengers a “great movie”.

Buffy creator Whedon wrote and directed the superhero ensemble film, which united Marvel’s Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk on the big screen for the first time. Released in May (2012), it has become the third biggest movie ever, grossing over $1.48 billion (£930 million) worldwide.

Discussing the film’s success with Vulture, Whedon admitted that the box office totals have become so huge that they are “meaningless” to him. Instead, he judges the movie according to his own aims when taking on the project.

Whedon explained: “I felt like I had a particular mission in making what I felt was a slightly old-fashioned movie, because I grew up wanting to make summer movies and wanting to make superhero movies, and I got to do both at once. I felt like summer movies haven’t been what I remember them to be, so I felt like I would love to evoke something that’s less hip and ironic and more heartfelt and character-driven, and apparently, other people cared about that in a large way.”

Continuing, Whedon insisted that he was pleased with how The Avengers turned out, in spite of its flaws. He added: “I don’t think it’s a perfect movie. I don’t even think it’s a great movie. I think it’s a great time, and I’m proud of it, but for me, what was exciting is that people don’t go to see a movie that many times unless it’s pulling on something from within, unless there’s a need there. That’s very gratifying.”

Whedon was initially hesitant about helming the sequel to The Avengers, calling the first film “an enormous amount of work telling what is ultimately somebody else’s story”. However, his return was confirmed earlier this month (August 8) when he signed an exclusive deal with Marvel which also involves developing a spin-off TV series.